Bridal courtesies
LISA BORLAND
Lisa Naomi Borland, bride-elect of Jesse Jonathan Lee, was honored with a wedding shower Sunday at the home of Gayle Drennan.

Engagements - March 28, 2001
VININGBALLEW
Mr. and Mrs. Brian D. Vining of Greenville announce the engagement of their daughter, Vanessa Brooke, to James Lowell Ballew, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Ballew of Commerce.

Wedding - March 27, 2001
CARVERCARLILE
Lindsay Carver and Chad Carlile were married at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church. D.L. Lowrie officiated.
Honor attendants were Darci Carver of Las Vegas, Nev., sister of the bride, and Jeff Carlile of Hereford, father of the bridegroom.

Engagements - March 27, 2001
LEELeCOCQ
Jerry and Vanessa Lee of Lubbock announce the engagement of their daughter, Beth, to Charles LeCocq, son of Tracy LeCocq of Roswell, N.M., and Randall LeCocq of Washington, D.C.

Births - March 27, 2001
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Cunningham of Lubbock, a son weighing 9 pounds at 7:25 p.m. March 14 in Covenant Medical Center.

Economic woes have little effect on housing market
WASHINGTON (AP) Sales of new and existing homes both dipped slightly in February, but demand remained strong as housing continued to demonstrate few adverse effects from the slowdown in the overall economy.

American's pilots seek assurances
FORT WORTH (AP) Pilots at American Airlines want assurances that their pay, pension benefits and other rights won't be diminished when the carrier purchases Trans World Airlines Inc.

Conexant to trim work force by 17.8 percent
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) Conexant Systems Inc. is cutting 1,500 jobs, or 17.8 percent of its work force, as it tries to reduce costs due to the technology market slowdown.

Exploration interest up in Gulf
NEW ORLEANS (AP) After a winter of skyrocketing natural gas prices, petroleum explorers put in a sharply higher number of bids for federal offshore oil and gas tracts off the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Comair action may cause problems at D-FW
Delta Airline flights out of Lubbock will not be affected by the Comair Airline's pilot strike, but some air travelers may encounter problems at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, said a Lubbock International Airport official on Monday.
Comair, a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, does not fly out of Lubbock, though another carrier also owned by Delta, Atlantic Southeast Airline (ASA), operates the Delta Connection commuter flights here, said Mark Earle, director of aviation for Lubbock International Airport.

Business today - March 27, 2001
Mortensen to lead Furrs Supermarkets
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Furrs Supermarkets, which filed for reorganization under federal bankruptcy laws, announced a new president on Monday.

Business today - March 28, 2001
Slow market could hurt state budget
AUSTIN The state's largest investment funds, which help pay for education, health care and retirement benefits for millions of Texans, have been dented by the slumping stock market.

Knight sounds off on Larry King show
New Texas Tech basketball coach Bob Knight told CNN's Larry King that he's never been out of control, but that he's not too set in his ways to make some changes.
First up: No more profanity in practice.

Tech football notebook
Out in the cold
The Texas Tech football team endured nearly three hours in the cold drizzle of Monday's practice but still managed to accomplish at least one primary goal, Tech head coach Mike Leach said.

Maryland's Baxter: Quiet but effective
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) In the final minutes of Maryland's 87-73 victory over Stanford, Juan Dixon started getting chatty on the bench with Lonny Baxter.

Knight quickly adding to Tech arsenal
With two weeks remaining until the spring national signing period begins, new Texas Tech head men's basketball coach Bob Knight isn't wasting any time adding new blood to the Red Raider roster.
Will Chavis, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound sophomore from Panola College told his coach Monday that he will sign with Tech on April 11 when the spring signing period starts. Chavis spent last season at Panola after playing at the University of New Hampshire as a freshman.

SPORTS/briefly - March 27, 2001
Shankle wins tennis title
Lubbock youth tennis player Blair Shankle on Sunday won her division of the Little Mo Tournament at the Samuel Grand Tennis Center in Dallas.

Source taps Wright as new Villanova coach
Jay Wright, who led Hofstra into the last two NCAA tournaments, has accepted the job as coach at Villanova, a university source told The Associated Press on Monday night.

IU transfer may be interested in Tech
Though he's been on the job officially only 31/2 days, new Texas Tech head men's basketball coach Bob Knight may have already begun a recruiting pipeline to his former state of residence.

Tech defense to draw a '45'
Using strategy, numbers and just the right mix of players for the job, Greg McMackin has developed a plan to build a better mousetrap this spring at Texas Tech.

Most hoops fans will be shut out of tournament
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) Southwest Missouri State is in the Final Four, but most fans without deep pockets will be watching on TV instead of from inside the St. Louis arena 31/2 hours away. The games were sold out long ago and prices are soaring.

Battier chases national title dreams
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) Shane Battier won't look back if Duke fails to win the national championship in Minneapolis. It's not his style. He lives without regrets.

Former champions, local flavor spice Final Four
Four rounds filled with surprise, suspense and yes, even a bit of the expected has come down to this: a women's Final Four with the champions from the last two years and a dash of local flavor.

Beware 'Gypsy Pavers'
SCAM ARTISTS WHO OFFER to repair driveways or do other types of repair work but disappear after they collect the payment or partial payment up front are a particularly vile type of criminal.

Energy From Wind
ON SOME BLUSTERY spring days on the South Plains, doesn't it seem like the wind could provide enough energy to light up the city of Lubbock if the wind power could be properly captured and harnessed?

Alarming False Alarms
WE DON'T KNOW if an ordinance requiring burglar alarm users to obtain permits from the police department is something that the City Council should enact, but we certainly believe that Lubbockites should take responsibility for false alarms.

New Boll Weevil Tactic
THE BOLL WEEVIL POSES a great threat to the backbone of the South Plains economy  and to the economies in other parts of Texas and in many other states as well.

Beware 'Gypsy Pavers'
SCAM ARTISTS WHO OFFER to repair driveways or do other types of repair work but disappear after they collect the payment or partial payment up front are a particularly vile type of criminal.

Protect New Drivers
WHEN TEEN-AGERS FIRST get their driver's licenses, they think they have arrived, but the truth is that they still have a lot to learn about driving.

Danger Is Ever-Present
A RECENT ACCIDENT SUFFERED by Lubbock Police Cpl. James Rohlik is a grim reminder that the protection and service that police officers render to the public sometimes comes at great personal cost  and in unexpected ways.

New Boll Weevil Tactic
THE BOLL WEEVIL POSES a great threat to the backbone of the South Plains economy  and to the economies in other parts of Texas and in many other states as well.

Monterey falls short in 1-5A quarters
MIDLAND Having already cleared everyone's expectations, the Monterey girls soccer team couldn't clear the one remaining hurdle that stood between the Lady Plainsmen and a trip to the regional tournament.
Megan Dozier scored her second goal of the match less than four minutes into the first half of overtime, as Midland nipped Monterey 2-1 on Tuesday in the Region 1-5A quarterfinals at the Audrey Gill Sports Complex. With the loss, the Lady Plainsmen end the season at 17-6 after a postseason run that carried them farther than any other team in the program's history.

Another year, another standout at catcher for LHS
Just as it has for the last four years, the Lubbock High softball team boasts a catcher with a knack for cutting down baserunners and the ability to set the Lady Westerners' offense in motion from the top of the batting order.

Defense fuels Monterey's postseason run
Jennifer Lester figures if the other team doesn't score, she wins.
It's a simple philosophy, and one the Monterey girls soccer team has had little trouble grasping over the last two weeks. It's also one that will be put to a stern test today.

Andrews overpowers Estacado
ANDREWS Sparked by a pair of two-out rallies, Andrews broke open a close game with Estacado to nab a 13-3 victory in a dense fog on Tuesday.

All About Freedom
Although he never mentions the Lubbock County Libertarian Party in his op-ed article (A-J, 3-3), Dr. David Smith insinuates that big tobacco is providing funding to groups in Lubbock opposed to the proposed smoking ordinance and that the thousands who agree with us are "exploiters of individuals and panderers of disease." Nothing could be further from the truth.

Clinton's Lifestyle
When a poor boy who has no money, morals or respect for the law becomes president, with a wife who has more lust for power and money than he has, the Clintons are showing us what the results will be.

Japanese Government
I understand that the Japanese government is insisting we raise the fishing trawler sunk by the USS Greeneville at a cost of $40 million.

All About Freedom
Although he never mentions the Lubbock County Libertarian Party in his op-ed article (A-J, 3-3), Dr. David Smith insinuates that big tobacco is providing funding to groups in Lubbock opposed to the proposed smoking ordinance and that the thousands who agree with us are "exploiters of individuals and panderers of disease." Nothing could be further from the truth.

Women's Health Coverage
In light of the recent election of the former Texas governor George W. Bush and his misrepresentation of Texas as a health-care mecca, it is notable that in the April 2001 Ladies Home Journal survey, health-care coverage for women in Texas ranks among the worst in the nation.

School Crimes
Re: The letter "Crime In Schools" (A-J, 3-5). Normally, I would not bother to respond to this letter. However, in light of the events at Santee High School in California and the eight-year-old bringing a gun to school in Philadelphia, both on the same day, I feel the need to respond.

Government Intrusion
The placement of cameras in Lubbock's streets would allow for a most uncomfortable level of governmental intrusiveness. The "surveillance" of citizens in the name of public safety is unacceptable in a free society, and would set a very unwelcome precedent.

Nothing To Say?
About the writer who wrote, in essence: If you have nothing to say, shut your mouth! I can agree with that. I see people every day with nothing to say saying it all over the place.

Tax Cuts Issue
When I decided to write this letter it was my purpose to point out that Ronald Reagan's tax cuts in the 1980s actually increased revenue to the U.S. Treasury by a substantial amount, and that the large deficits were actually caused by Congress' failure to curb domestic spending.

Tax Cuts Issue
When I decided to write this letter it was my purpose to point out that Ronald Reagan's tax cuts in the 1980s actually increased revenue to the U.S. Treasury by a substantial amount, and that the large deficits were actually caused by Congress' failure to curb domestic spending.

Food Bank Bus Service
I am responding to the editorial "Important Bus Decision" (A-J, 2-28), regarding the bus service to South Plains Food Bank. I spoke at the public meeting on behalf of Goodwill Industries and the Lubbock Homeless Consortium. Our concern was the possible elimination of vital bus service to the South Plains Food Bank. To do so would be a great detriment to many families. I wanted the Citizen Transit Board to consider these factors before reaching their decision:

Tobacco Odor Comment
Most of the "stuff" that I have been reading in the Lubbock A-J letters to the editor column has been about the many facets of tobacco smoke, etc. I haven't gleaned any information about tobacco and "boom boxes on wheels."

Traffic Cameras
I was amused at Rep. Carl Isett's comment about how the traffic enforcement cameras reminded him of a communist state, and how he had been in East Berlin and saw this camera on a pole and the feelings it gives him even today.

Right To Smoke-Free Air
Re: The letter "Rights Of Non-Smokers" (A-J, 3-1). We are being constantly bombarded with "smoker's rights" to smoke at restaurants. I say, if you can guarantee to contain the smoke to your table and the area around your table, then go ahead and smoke. If you can guarantee that your cigarette smoke won't waft over to my table, then go ahead and light up.

Attention Bicyclists
People who ride bicycles must take it upon themselves to make themselves visible to all other traffic. Recently, I had a very close encounter with a cyclist before dawn on an unlighted stretch of a major street in Lubbock.

Government Intrusion
The placement of cameras in Lubbock's streets would allow for a most uncomfortable level of governmental intrusiveness. The "surveillance" of citizens in the name of public safety is unacceptable in a free society, and would set a very unwelcome precedent.

Japanese Government
I understand that the Japanese government is insisting we raise the fishing trawler sunk by the USS Greeneville at a cost of $40 million.

Skatepark Wise Investment
Re: The letter "A Couple Of Comments" (A-J, 3-7). I agree on the smoking issue, but for the city to build a skatepark would be a wise investment of public money. There are many other cities that have built skateparks and they are a success. It sure gives the kids somewhere they can go that doesn't cost them a lot of money out of their pocket.

Community briefs
Library friends hold annual meeting
An annual public meeting of the Friends of the Lubbock City-County Library has been scheduled at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Buddy Holly Center, 1801 Ave G.

Maid to order
She sprayed cleaning fluid onto a rag, then climbed onto the bedroom dresser in order to polish a large mirror.
Her partner was at the other end of the house dusting a living room.

Bronx entrepreneur gives culture to sugary delight
NEW YORK  When it comes to cooking, Heather McCartney usually runs from the kitchen. But in launching Ethnic Edibles she came up with a winning product recipe that mixes culture with a feel-good food: cookies.

Recipe Exchange
How do you like 'them apples?'
Apples may lose some of their health benefits when wrapped in dough, but few things taste better than a hot apple dumpling with a cup of coffee. M. Dunn submits two shortcut apple dumpling recipes for Kay and Don Taylor and Bettie Francis, who asked for an apple dumpling recipe such as that served by Furr's Cafeteria. Louanne Britton also came through with a recipe.

Adults take court for Kids Voting
Government officials, teachers and coaches will help raise funds for Kids Voting Lubbock County by participating in a charity basketball game scheduled for 7 p.m. April 12 in the Rip Griffin Center, 26th Street and Chicago Avenue.

Mystery in a murky basement
Start with a forgotten diary. Add an old clock, a rusty key and a book with a secret compartment. Mix well in a dark basement, add endless imagi-nation from seven Lubbock students and the result is a mystery worthy of Tony Hillerman.
So it's no surprise home-school students representing Melonie Park Church are in this weekend's Destination ImagiNation state contest in Richardson for the second year in a row.

Speeding car lands four vehicles in University Ave. wreck
Three people were injured and two cars ended up in separate front yards when a driver speeding down University Avenue collided with another car Monday.
The three people suffered moderate injuries during the incident, which involved four vehicles, police Sgt. Jim Shavers said.

Doctor discusses exercise, cancer
Studies have shown that women who exercise regularly can reduce their chances of getting breast cancer.
Dr. Anne McTiernan, an author and research physician at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Wash., will discuss the findings of those studies and offer exercise advice to women during a free program at 7 p.m. today at HealthPoint, 4004 82nd Street.

Local race results
Idalou Motorsports - Idalou, TX(March 25) Following the reschedule from last week's rainout, racers and fans eagerly appeared Sunday to watch and participate in the fun and excitement. Expecting a warm day was to say the least, the temperatures in the 40's and a brisk wind didn't hinder the great action. The Wheelstander "The Mexican Jumping Bean" from Hobbs, NM made a surprise visit to Idalou Motorsports. Beginning a touring season in Bakersfield, CA., there was a need to test the equipment and put on a show. The wheelstander made a pass at 130mph for a 1/4 mile in 10.20 seconds.

Tax-cut proposal hits road
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) President Bush said Monday ''the economy has slowed, and we better do something about it,'' setting the stage for a new push by the White House to sell the president's road map to recovery: major tax cuts and budget restraints.

U.N. sanctions tighten grip on Iraqi oil money
WASHINGTON {AP} U.N. monitors may be stationed near Iraq's borders and oil revenue placed under direct U.N. control to prevent President Saddam Hussein from smuggling in weapons of mass destruction.
The monitors would oversee customs inspectors in neighboring countries and might even supervise their checks on trucks moving across the border into Iraq, a senior U.S. official said Monday.

NATION/briefly - March 28, 2001
Affirmative action takes legal hit
DETROIT  Dealing another setback to affirmative action, a federal judge ruled Tuesday that the use of race in admissions at the University of Michigan law school is unconstitutional.

Study finds America becoming land of the sleepy
WASHINGTON (AP) A workaholic lifestyle with too little time for sleep is turning America into a nodding off nation, with 40 percent of surveyed adults saying they have trouble staying awake on the job.

High court accepts death penalty case
WASHINGTON {AP} The Supreme Court rejoined the heated national debate over the death penalty Monday, announcing it will decide whether the Constitution's ban on "cruel and unusual punishment" bars execution of mentally retarded people.

Acetaminophen overdoses growing headache for FDA
WASHINGTON (AP) Evi-dence that Americans may poison their livers by unwittingly taking toxic doses of acetaminophen has the government considering whether consumers need stiffer warnings about the popular over-the-counter painkiller.

Report: Tobacco bigger threat to women than breast cancer
WASHINGTON {AP} Tobacco became a leading killer of women in just two generations, said a government report released Tuesday as President Bush's health secretary endorsed federal regulation of tobacco if Congress gives him the power to do so.

Bush sees tax-cut urgency
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) Rejecting criticism he's been too gloomy, President Bush told Midwesterners who endured the Rust Belt recession a decade ago that tax cuts are vital to reversing recent layoffs and the stock market slump. ''The need for action is urgent,'' he declared Tuesday.
Bush made his case in a city that took an economic beating on his father's watch. He called the economy ''winded but fundamentally strong'' and predicted it would ''come roaring out of its doldrums'' if taxes are cut by at least $1.6 trillion over 10 years, as he has proposed.

NATION/briefly - March 27, 2001
Five children die in Chicago fire
CHICAGO  Five children ages five and under were killed in a fire after being left alone inside a second-floor apartment, and the father of some of the youngsters was charged Monday with child endangerment.

Ray Cognasi
PLAINVIEW  Services for Ray "Spike" Cognasi, 69, of Dodge City, Kan., will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at First Assembly of God Church in Plainview with the Rev. Ted Wilson officiating.

Edwin Halpain
LOVINGTON, N.M.  Services for Edwin Wilson Halpain, 66, of Lovington will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Bethany Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Leon Green officiating.

Lewis Byrd
AMHERST  Services for Lewis William Byrd, 63, of Amherst will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church with the Revs. Mike Butts officiating and Aaron Reed assisting.

Isaias S. Moreno Jr.
PLAINVIEW  Services for Isaias S. Moreno Jr., 46, of Plainview will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at First Church of the Nazarene with the Revs. Ken Horn officiating and Lupe Moreno assisting.

Realignment primary subject of NFL meetings
PALM DESERT, Calif. (AP) For the first time since it decided to add Houston as its 32nd team, the NFL had a candid discussion Tuesday on how to realign into eight four-team divisions.

Woods back on top again
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Tiger Woods crouched and cupped his hands over his brow to study the slope in his 45-foot eagle putt on the 16th hole. Out of the corner of his eye, across the water to a tiny patch of land, he could see his final challenge.

Johnson's relatives brace for long haul in recovery
KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) Relatives of 1984 Olympic downhill champion Bill Johnson faced the reality Monday that his recovery from injuries that have left him comatose could take weeks, months or even years.

Henson reports to Yankees' camp
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Drew Henson walked out of the clubhouse and into the sunshine, standing in his new Yankees' pinstripes, exactly where he wanted to be.

Tiger has master plan for Augusta
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) One hour before a nine-hole sprint to the finish at The Players Championship, 21 of the 22 players who returned to complete the final round were warming up on the practice range.

Roddick advances at Ericsson
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) Andre Agassi watched in dismay from a broadcast booth as young Andy Roddick began to act his age Tuesday, losing four consecutive games and nearly blowing the first set at the Ericsson Open.

Mogilny, New Jersey clobber Tampa Bay 7-1
TAMPA, Fla.  Alexander Mogilny had two goals as the New Jersey Devils took over the Eastern Conference lead with a 7-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night.

Carter, Raptors spoil Mourning's return
MIAMI  Alonzo Mourning, returning to the lineup for the first time since being diagnosed with a kidney disease last October, had nine points and six rebounds in 19 minutes, but the hot-shooting of Vince Carter and Dell Curry carried the Toronto Raptors to a 101-92 win over the Heat on Tuesday night.

Nowitzki lifts Mavs to victory
SALT LAKE CITY Dirk Nowitzki scored 12 of his 27 points in the final two minutes and Michael Finley added 33 Monday night as the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Utah Jazz 98-90.
The Mavericks held the Jazz without a field goal for more than seven minutes in the fourth quarter to win at the Delta Center for the third time in a row after not winning here for 11 years.

Cowboys find new QB in Banks
IRVING (AP) The Dallas Cowboys have found Troy Aikman's successor.
Free agent Tony Banks, who began last season as Baltimore's starting quarterback, agreed to a one-year deal with Dallas, the Cowboys announced on their Web site Tuesday night.

Williams alleges racism at tourney
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) The father of Venus and Serena Williams says the jeers directed at his family during a tournament in Indian Wells, Calif., were racially motivated.

Smoltz headed for DL with elbow pain
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) John Smoltz, who missed all of last year following reconstructive elbow surgery, will start this season on the disabled list and miss at least two starts.

Tulia bills make way into Senate
AUSTIN - A state Senate committee is considering two bills filed in response to a controversial 1999 drug bust in Tulia that left roughly one-tenth of the city's black population arrested and incarcerated.
Senate Bill 1584 and Senate Bill 1585 are sponsored by Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio.

Vivendi Buying Into AOL Europe
PARIS (AP) - French entertainment giant Vivendi Universal said it will exchange the 55 percent stake it held in Internet service provider AOL France for shares in AOL Europe.
Under the agreement, Vivendi's mobile phone unit Cegetel and its pay-television division Canal Plus will exchange their 55 percent share in AOL France for junior preferred shares in AOL Europe, valued at $725 million.

Microsoft Steps Up Calif. Presence
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) - Microsoft Corp. stepped up its Silicon Valley presence Monday with the launch of a new technology center the software titan hopes will help its expansive new strategy for Internet-based services.

Measure advances new oil, gas severance tax
AUSTIN  The rate of severance tax on oil and natural gas can make the difference in whether a small operation can keep its employees or stay in business, an Amarillo producer said Monday.

Future of teacher health insurance looks dim as Senate releases budget
AUSTIN  The state cannot afford teacher health insurance without major spending cuts, several Texas lawmakers said at the Senate Education Committee on Monday.
The meeting came minutes after the Senate Finance Committee had approved its state budget, Senate Bill 1, in which 42 percent of the state's money is designated for education.

Finance chair: 'No fat' in Senate budget bill
AUSTIN {AP} The Senate Finance Committee approved its $111.7 billion two-year state budget proposal on Monday, setting negotiations in high gear as lawmakers continue figuring out how to pay for a school employees health insurance plan and other expensive issues.

Bills spurred by drug bust land in House
AUSTIN  Legislation inspired by a controversial 1999 Tulia drug bust was considered by a House panel Tuesday, the day after the same bills were discussed in a Senate committee.
The bills stem from a legislative initiative known as The Tulia Proposals, a package of three measures.

Pickup bill on roll in Legislature
AUSTIN A measure six years in the making that would ban children from traveling in the back of pickup trucks is moving full speed ahead through the Texas Leg-islature.

China says population at 1.26 billion
BEIJING {AP} China's population has grown to 1.26 billion people and is getting older, better educated and more urbanized, according to figures announced Wednesday from its first nationwide census in a decade.

Tech in the know about Britian's Foot and Mouth outbreak
By luck of timing, the Texas Tech agriculture department has a pulse on the foot-and-mouth disease scare in Europe.
John Abernathy, dean of Tech's department of agricultural sciences and natural resources, said the department has one student studying in England until this summer. The student is on spring break in England, but Tech ag officials are eager to hear about the outbreak's effect there.

Rodeo queen dies in hit-and-run crash
SANTA FE {AP} State police took to the skies Wednesday in search of a man who fled the scene of a hit-and-run accident that killed a 19-year-old former rodeo queen and injured two other people last week.

Veneman says U.S. public confuses livestock diseases
WASHINGTON {AP} Americans are confusing foot-and-mouth disease, which is harmless to people, with rarer mad cow disease, which has been linked to a fatal human illness, Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said Tuesday.

Test flight of India's satellite launcher aborted
NEW DELHI, India {AP} The first test flight of a satellite launcher meant to catapult India into the club of space powers was aborted Wednesday when one of its engines appeared to catch fire while on the launch pad.

Fatal train crash in Belgium; at least eight killed
PECROT, Belgium {AP} A crowded commuter train slammed head on into an oncoming locomotive outside Brussels on Tuesday, killing at least eight people and injuring nine in Belgium's worst rail accident since 1974.

Slow market may hurt state budget
AUSTIN {AP} The state's largest investment funds, which help pay for education, health care and retirement benefits for millions of Texans, have been dented by the slumping stock market.

Inmates found dead at state prison
LAS CRUCES, N.M. {AP} Authorities were investigating the deaths of two inmates at the Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility near here.

Stocks slide in early trading
NEW YORK {AP} Stocks fell modestly in early trading Tuesday as investors, hoping for an interest rate cut in the near future, nervously awaited the latest consumer confidence report.

Students to visit Reese
Junior high and high school students will visit Texas Tech facilities at Reese Technology Center Thursday and Friday.

Congress, Bush move toward banning human cloning
WASHINGTON {AP} Scientists called human cloning ethically risky and likely to produce deformed babies, even as researchers who plan to move forward defended their plans Wednesday before a congressional panel. The White House said President Bush would sign a federal law outlawing such research.

Market advances on better-than-expected consumer confidence numbers
NEW YORK {AP} A better-than-expected consumer confidence report sent stocks climbing Tuesday on hopes that Americans' spending could revive company profits earlier than expected. The Dow Jones industrials picked up 260 points, their third straight triple-digit gain.

Searchers find wreckage where F-15s disappeared
LONDON {AP} Teams have found wreckage in the Scottish Highlands where two U.S. F-15 jets were reported missing, but blinding snow has hampered their search, the Royal Air Force said Tuesday.

Explosion near Israeli commuter bus kills at least one
JERUSALEM {AP} Palestinian militants set off two explosions in Jerusalem six hours apart Tuesday, one by remote control near a shopping mall and the second when a man with explosives strapped to his body blew himself up outside a bus.

Some feel more than normal nerves over tornadoes
OKLAHOMA CITY {AP} Cindy Crosslin still has flashbacks about the day she and her husband piled their two small children in the car to outrun a half-mile wide tornado rampaging through their town. Her 7-year-old daughter worries whenever it starts to rain.

Fatal Train Crash in Belgium
PECROT, Belgium (AP) - A crowded commuter train slammed head on into an empty locomotive in central Belgium on Tuesday, killing at least eight people and seriously injuring at least eight.
The death toll was expected to rise as workers cut into the carriages that were turned into a pile of twisted metal. News reports put the death toll as high as 12.

Mystery in a murky basement
Start with a forgotten diary. Add an old clock, a rusty key and a book with a secret compartment. Mix well in a dark basement, add endless imagi-nation from seven Lubbock students and the result is a mystery worthy of Tony Hillerman.

Senate beats challenges to McCain-Feingold
WASHINGTON {AP} Senators who want to take unlimited "soft money" out of the hands of political parties scored a key victory Tuesday when the Senate defeated an alternative that would have limited, but not banned, such contributions.

Report: Texas among top in census undercounts
WASHINGTON {AP} Texas and other states with booming minority populations or large urban centers had greater proportions of their populations missed by the census say Democrats who want to adjust the tally for legislative redistricting.

Appeals court says threats against abortion doctors protected
SAN FRANCISCO {AP} A federal appeals court threw out a record $109 million verdict against anti-abortion activists Wednesday, ruling that a Web site and wanted posters branding abortion doctors "baby butchers" and criminals were protected by the First Amendment.

Smoking ban debate slated for Thursday
Two opponents in Lubbock's policy debate over a smoking ban will face each other in a debate Thursday sponsored by the Young Conservatives of Texas at Texas Tech.

Pressure to vaccinate against foot-and-mouth increases
LONDON {AP} As the army prepared to slaughter thousands of healthy animals, Prime Minister Tony Blair repeated his message Wednesday that the British countryside remains safe to visit, despite the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

Walk raises funds for MS research
More than 1,000 participants are expected for the NTS Communications MS Walk 2001.
The event, set for April 7 at Mackenzie Park in Lubbock, is the primary fund-raiser for the West Texas Division of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

MS creates daily struggle
When Howard Adams was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis three years ago, he thought it was a death sentence.
"I knew virtually nothing about MS," the Lubbock resident said. "I was ready to go down to the lawyer's office, have my will redone and die."

Two Israeli schoolboys killed in suicide blast
SDEH HEMED, Israel {AP} A Palestinian suicide bomber on Wednesday detonated explosives near Jewish seminary students waiting for a ride to school, killing himself and two teen-agers and injuring four people. Bombs also were discovered and safely exploded in two other Israeli towns.

Fund established for Kirk's family
A memorial fund for the family of Joseph "J.-Paul" Kirk, 18, of Wilson has been established at Wilson State Bank under his name. The fund is to help his family defray funeral expenses. Kirk died March 21 in a shooting incident in Lubbock.

Bush won't implement Kyoto climate treaty
WASHINGTON {AP} The White House said Wednesday that President Bush would not implement the climate treaty negotiated in Kyoto, Japan, but would seek an alternative that would "include the world" in the effort to reduce pollution.

Power regulators approve rate hikes of up to 46 percent
SAN FRANCISCO {AP} Sam Sahouria owns a small downtown grocery and deli, a few blocks from the offices of the state Public Utilities Commission. He now fears a decision by the PUC could force him to lose the store he has run for the past 15 years.

German nuclear waste transport delayed by protests
DANNENBERG, Germany {AP} A train delivering 60 tons of nuclear waste to a German storage site was forced to retreat Wednesday after protesters clashed with police and some chained themselves to the rails.

Mineta says pilots should have greater latitude to detour around storms
WASHINGTON {AP} Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta suggested Tuesday some planes be allowed to take off even if there are storms along the route, allowing pilots more leeway to fly around inclement weather.
Talking to reporters about the worsening problem of flight delays across America, Mineta said that air traffic controllers, who now have greater access to weather data, are holding flights on the ground even though pilots could divert around storms once airborne.

Senate votes on increasing hard money limit
WASHINGTON {AP} The Senate prepared to at least double the amount an individual may contribute to a political candidate, providing a counterstroke to the drive to ban the largely uncontrolled soft money flowing to political parties.

Stocks slide in afternoon trading
NEW YORK {AP} Wall Street retreated as expected Wednesday, sending technology and blue chip stocks down sharply in reaction to another round of earnings warnings and job cuts.

Larry King Live transcript
LARRY KING, HOST: Tonight, the most controversial coach in college basketball is sporting new team colors, an exclusive hour with Bob Knight, now of Texas Tech University. We'll take your calls. And along with us, the president of Texas Tech, David Schmidly. They are next on LARRY KING LIVE.